Academy of the Pacific to close (Honolulu: 2013, private school, calculator)

[whtviper1]

Interesting that a private school that charges $17,700 per pupil grade 6-12 can't make it in Hawaii.

Academy of the Pacific to close, citing finances, enrollment - Hawaii News - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

[khyron]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Interesting that a private school that charges $17,700 per pupil grade 6-12 can't make it in Hawaii.

Academy of the Pacific to close, citing finances, enrollment - Hawaii News - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Is the tuition at Punahou, Le Jardin, etc. really all that different? I don't remember exact figures but I seem to recall it being about that much last time I looked. Maybe the sticket shock was just so shocking that I'm conflating dissimilar amounts in my head...

[hunterseat]

I think about the private school I sent my kids to for a few years in MS. Yes, much cheaper but that's not the point.

One student's tuition for a year paid one teacher - it was a poor little school. I would think, in this school, it would take at least two students to pay a teacher. I can see a young teacher making $35/yr, especially if her own kids got a tuition break going there.

Each grade had only one teacher. This school went from 6th to 12th... 7 grades. There are 100 students... roughly 14 or 15/class. (I used fingers and a calculator. Don't be impressed.)

Let's say one whole class of 14 had to support the teacher salaries. But there were probably at least one admin person and a principal, maybe a maintenance person. The principal probably taught a class... So that left 6 classes of 14...

Monthly tuition was $1770 (that was embarrassing/calculator again) times 14 is $24780.

My brain hurts. Not sure what my point was. Someone else needs to play for a while. *tosses ice water on head*

[whtviper1]

$19,200 for Punahou per year. I guess if you can afford $17,700 you can afford $19,200.

[hunterseat]

Still - mismanagement? Or maybe they don't really want to do it anymore. That seems like plenty. Because you know the parents bring school supplies and in some cases cleaning supplies. Then extra for meals and trips... fundraisers... Sad for the people who love it there.

[khyron]

Originally Posted by hunterseat

Still - mismanagement? Or maybe they don't really want to do it anymore. That seems like plenty. Because you know the parents bring school supplies and in some cases cleaning supplies. Then extra for meals and trips... fundraisers... Sad for the people who love it there.

Indeed, but now that I've read the article...100 students? Seriously? That's got to be a tough sell. Hey, we cost as much as Punahou yet if a dozen kids ever left at once our business model would fall apart. So yeah, you ready to commit 6+ years of your kid's life/education to us?

Sounds like they've been doomed for a while.